Last week I talked about little changes, new recipes, and ways to trick yourself into eating healthier. I happened on this little recipe today on the Eating Well website and just had to try it. As much as I love chili - whether with chunks of sirloin, ground round, or ground turkey - it just isn’t chili without cheese, sour cream, and a side of chips and I just plain don’t like it plain. Now that I’m looking at the healthier side I began researching chili options without losing the chili flavor I love. I found white chili. OK, it’s probably even better with cheese and sour cream, but this is more like a soup so I opted to give it a try without cheese and sour cream for obvious reasons. I am so glad I did! What a treat and even without cheese and sour cream it was wonderful. I did add a side of sliced avocado and tomato, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and a small squeeze of fresh lime. Yummy. OK, I’ll share ... enjoy ...

White ChiliIngredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1-1/2 chopped onion

2 - 4 ounce cans chopped green chiles

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 - 15 ounce cans great northern beans, rinsed

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

4 cups cooked skinless turkey or chicken

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Preparation

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion; stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chiles, oregano, cumin, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in beans and broth; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add turkey or chicken (or tofu if you’re vegetarian) and vinegar; cook for 5 more minutes and serve.

_♬ Beans, beans the musical fruit, ♬♬The more you eat, the more you toot ♬♬ The more you toot the better you’ll feel, ♬♬ So eat your beans at every meal ♬Does that little ditty remind you of your childhood? Growing up with five brothers they needed no excuse to “let one fly” followed by those sing-songy words. Each time I hear (ah, or smell) expelled gas, those little words come to mind.

We all know beans are a great protein and filled with fiber, but, how do you cook beans so your family and friends won’t be permeating the air for the next twenty-four hours? Years ago I found this recipe in a Woman’s Day magazine - I’m guessing it was about twenty-five years ago or so, but it is our favorite way to cook dried pinto beans.

Pot o’ Beans

2# dried pinto beans

water

Pick over the beans, rinse, and put in a large pot; add water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes.Remove from heat, cover. Let stand for one hour. Drain. Stir in:

2 cups chopped onion

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup olive oil

Cover with water; bring to boil; cover and simmer for one hour. Drain, if necessary.

Makes 12 cups.

So, now that you have the beans what can you do with them. First of all, you have a lovely bean that’s low sodium and second, the options are endless. You can freeze them. You can add them to salads, casseroles, and chili. So, speaking of chili, how about some chili beans?

Using 8 cups of your cooked pinto beans, add:

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons salt (watch your salt if you need to)

2 cans of tomato sauce (again, use low salt, if necessary)

Mix together and that’s it. You can freeze them up to three months or cover and simmer for thirty minutes. You can serve them over brown rice, over pasta or a baked potato, over some homemade baked whole wheat tortilla chips, rolled in a whole wheat tortilla or just eat them in a bowl with a bit of allowed cheese/sour cream. Don’t forget to pile whatever you decide to do with some fresh tomatoes, fresh spinach, a diced avocado, diced peppers! And, here’s a little hint ... squeeze a bit of fresh lime over your dish for a real WOW factor!

I am ...

... a former blogger for a health site, which means eating healthy aka heart smart
which has become a passion for me. I will start at the beginning when I first
discovered I had high cholesterol.
Blogger's Note: First and foremost, please do not go off any meds if
you are currently taking something for high cholesterol! It is critical
that you follow your doctor’s orders. I am NOT a doctor nor am I
experienced enough to provide you with advice.

This blog is simply my journal of how I lowered my cholesterol.
I am working with a doctor ... but, should you ask him he’d probably
say he worked for me, which is true and should be ... in my opinion.

The things I have changed have worked for me and may work for you, but
as I said, I’m not telling you to stop taking any meds your physician
has prescribed for you, but to talk to him about some options you are
willing to consider.